IX Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Association of Caribbean States (ACS), convened under the theme "Innovative integration through sustainable development of the Greater Caribbean". Photo: Cubaminrex

This Friday, May 12, the IX Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Association of Caribbean States (ACS) took place in La Antigua, Guatemala, convened under the theme "Innovative integration through the sustainable development of the Greater Caribbean".

The highest level segment of this meeting was preceded by the XXVIII Meeting of the Council of Ministers of the ACS, and it was proposed to renew the commitments of the member and associated States, which gave rise to the organization in 1994, when its Constitutive Agreement was signed, in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia. In particular, the debate in Antigua would focus on strengthening regional cooperation and integration in the Greater Caribbean.

The ACS, which is currently made up of 31 States in the Caribbean Sea area, arrived at these events after an intense process of renewal to make its operation more effective, and with the conviction of the benefit to its membership of regional projects in priority areas of the organization, such as the protection of ecosystems and vulnerable populations.

Cuba was represented at the great event by a delegation headed by Deputy Foreign Minister Josefina Vidal Ferreiro and made up of officials from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Investment, and Science, Technology and Environment.

Support for Cuba in the face of the blockade

This year, the representatives of the member states of the ACS once again called for an end to the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed on Cuba by the United States, but also for the exclusion of the Caribbean nation from the unilateral and arbitrary list of countries sponsoring terrorism drawn up by the State Department.

In the final declaration of the IX Summit of Heads of State and Government of the body for consultation, cooperation and concerted action, the delegations present rejected unilateral coercive measures that are contrary to International Law.

They also condemned the tightening of the US blockade in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, with an extraterritorial character, and pointed out that this measure by Washington causes serious damage to the well-being of the Cuban people.

#IXCumbreAEC adopts Declaration of La Antigua, Guatemala, which in paragraph 34 rejects the application of unilateral coercive measures and calls for the exclusion of #Cuba🇨🇺 from the unilateral list of countries alleged to sponsor terrorism. pic.twitter.com/ahYfbtarKw

— Josefina Vidal (@JosefinaVidalF) May 12, 2023

The signed document welcomed the celebration in Havana, on September 15 and 16, of a Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Group of 77 + China on the challenges of development, with the theme "Role of science, technology and innovation".

The meeting in Havana will have among its main objectives the promotion of cooperation projects for the benefit of developing nations, including members of the ACS, the document stresses.

Guatemala also recognized the efforts made by Argentina, Brazil, Cuba, Chile and Mexico to produce and package vaccines against COVID-19 and seek approval by the World Health Organization (WHO).

In this regard, the member countries expressed gratitude to all the nations and organizations that supported the ACS, other countries and territories of the world to face the pandemic with medical services and donations, especially to the Cuban Government and people.

The final text of the meeting described as valuable the space for commitment represented by the ACS International Cooperation Conference, whose Sixth Edition took place in Havana on November 11, 2022, under the slogan "Pandemic-proof, safe Caribbean".

Commitment to peace

The final declaration of the IX Summit of Heads of State and Government of the ACS contains an article of commitment to the principles and purposes of the Charter of the United Nations and to the Greater Caribbean as a Zone of Peace and Cooperation, which included lists and certifications that negatively affect the livelihoods of the population.

Also, national efforts towards the economic and social development of Member States, the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the prosperity of the region and the post-pandemic recovery.

The meeting left clear objectives in terms of multidimensional cooperation, green and blue agendas, financial reactivation, investments and addressing migration from a development perspective.

The objectives of the ACS are contained in the Articles of Agreement and are based on the following: The strengthening of regional cooperation and the integration process, with the aim of creating an expanded economic space in the region; preserve the environmental integrity of the Caribbean Sea, considered as the common heritage of the peoples of the region; and to promote the sustainable development of the Greater Caribbean. Its focal areas are currently trade, transport, sustainable tourism and natural disasters.

"Always count on Cuba"

Speaking at the summit, Cuban Deputy Foreign Minister Josefina Vidal advocated peace, the defense of legitimate interests, sovereignty and self-determination as principles of relations between the ACS States.

He reaffirmed Cuba's unwavering support for the right of small and vulnerable nations to receive special and differential treatment in terms of access to trade and investment, and for the just demand to receive cooperation according to needs.

Vidal defended cooperation and solidarity as the only ways to preserve the cultural identities and ecosystems of the Greater Caribbean.

He called for working together and collaboratively to address the many obstacles and growing challenges in development.

In this regard, he recalled that the theme of the summit "Innovative integration through the sustainable development of the Greater Caribbean" reflects the need to forge alliances and build bridges of transformation.

#IXCumbreAEC in La Antigua, Guatemala. 🇨🇺 #Cuba reiterates its commitment to the founding principles of the @ACS_AEC and willingness to continue contributing to the strengthening of an organization necessary for integration and cooperation among the sister nations of the Greater Caribbean pic.twitter.com/GSKcxRfdKa

— Josefina Vidal (@JosefinaVidalF) May 12, 2023

The representative of the Cuban Foreign Ministry considered access to technology vital to overcome the common challenges of Caribbean nations and mentioned as an example the debates of the recently concluded VII Conference on International Cooperation in this city and the previous one in Havana, in November of last year.

He assured that the presentations of experts in both events demonstrate that there are more than enough talents in our towns to undertake collective projects for the benefit of all, and that there is a commitment to continue promoting the development of national and regional capacities, as well as replicating experiences backed by good results.

"Creating a favorable and inclusive environment at all levels for growth and development remains a distant goal," Vidal said.

On the other hand, he assessed as unacceptably slow, unstable and insufficient access to global funds for the majority of ACS members. "The resources exist, but the lack of political will prevails to contribute with real actions to the progress of our countries."

"South-South cooperation needs to be promoted as part of efforts to address economic recovery, the devastating and lasting effects of the pandemic, and the multidimensional treatment of poverty and development. This is a complement to, and not a substitute for, much-needed North-South Cooperation.

"In its capacity as president of the Group of 77 this year, Cuba will work tirelessly to represent with dignity the interests of the nations of the South, including the member countries of the ACS, by promoting cooperation projects for the benefit of our peoples," he said.

He thanked the firm support that all the countries represented at the meeting gave to the demand to end the blockade and the growing demand that Cuba be excluded from the spurious list of States that allegedly sponsor terrorism, "unilateral, unfounded and fraudulent designation of the White House."

The Cuban diplomat celebrated that Suriname has assumed the presidency of the Council of Ministers of the ACS for the period 2023-2024 and reaffirmed the firm commitment to the organization.

He assured that Cuba will continue to participate actively and constructively in the work and will contribute as much as possible with the noble objective of bringing together countries twinned by history, geography and, above all, by the community of interests and values.

"We will never forget that, when the Association of Caribbean States was formed in 1994, our Caribbean brothers always defended our belonging to this dear family.

"We are very proud to be founding members and to have hosted on several occasions high-level meetings of the Association, in correspondence with the vocation of Latin American and Caribbean integration of our country."

Vidal thanked the authorities and the people of Guatemala for the warm welcome and organization of this meeting. "To all our brothers in the Greater Caribbean, I reiterate, always count on Cuba," he concluded.

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Foreign Ministers of Grenada and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines: Cuba can always count on its Caribbean brothers